Are you loving the cooler weather lately? It's still hot, but at least it's not scorching hot! I would sometimes go out at 8am to walk my dog and already the sun was unbearable. But now there's a cool wind blowing, the sun is bright but not burning. Perfect!

A change in the weather means a change in your wardrobe. We're in a tropical country so floral prints, bright colors, or anything short and airy are du jour, but I'm sure you also get bored wearing the same things. It's always a relief to get the chance to layer clothes and wear sweaters again.

If you're looking a for some inspiration on what to wear this rainy season, check out these new pieces from Penshoppe! This is what they presented at the recently concluded Philippine Fashion Week. I got to attend the show and it was pretty fun (albeit over in like 15 minutes). These looks are great for everyday shindigs, with a street smart edge to them. Have a look!

I’m very happy to observe that as Filipinas are starting to step up their style chops, malls are also keeping up! I’m sure you’ve already observed the influx of amazing items in SM malls in the past year or so - from shoes, accessories, to clothes, the previously “outdated” mall chain has risen up to become one of the country’s most fashionable places to shop in. 

SM malls in the main Manila area have reinvented themselves, but the South will not be ignored. Before, stylish Southerners in the Las Pinas and Alabang area may be obliged to make a trip to Makati or Ortigas to get dibs on the latest fashion pieces. Now, SM Southmall can be your one-stop shop in the South for the best fashion finds.

SM Southmall recently held a fashion show to showcase some of its most stylish brands. Promod, Parfois, Accessorize, and All Flip Flops were some of the names that took part in the event. Models donned the latest collections from these brands and strutted their stuff on the catwalk.

This girl is totally rocking The Promod Clogs That Got Away. Huhu.

It's nice to indulge in trendy clothes, but one should never be without classic pieces that you will keep on wearing for the rest of your life - provided you don't gain too much weight, of course! Aside from black, colors that will never go out of style are red and white. Combine them with classic, flattering cuts and you've got clothes that will serve you well in any occasion and setting for years to come.

Pond's, the skincare brand, collaborated with Plains & Prints to deliver a collection that is inspired by prominent women in the beauty and fashion industry. The muses Rissa Mananquil, Patty Betita, Divine Lee, Bianca Valerio, Mai Kaufmann, Kelly Misa, Apples Aberin and Celine Lopez are known for their beauty and sophisticated style, so these qualities are reflected in the 22 dresses created by Plains & Prints.

In the picture are Pond’s senior brand manager Jacqueline Yuengtian and Plains & Print's creative head and owner, Roxanne Farillas talking about the collaboration. Both brands wanted to celebrate the beauty and style of the muses. The colors, red and white, are taken from Pond's Age Miracle and Flawless White themes. The launch happened at Red Restaurant in Makati Shangri-La hotel.

So, without further ado, here are pics from the fashion show as well as the gorgeous eight muses!

I agree with fashion designer Tina Daniac when she said that well-done nails are some of the best accessories to any look. But face it, who has the time? I sure dont! I'm probably the laziest person when it comes to doing nails, which is slightly embarrassing as it is part of my job to look presentable from head to toe. I'm lazy not because I don't see the value of having beautiful nails, I do, it's just that it takes so long to apply the polish perfectly and even longer for it to dry completely. I simply don't have the patience.

Now this is where Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polishes come in. Insta-dri promises smooth, glossy nails in one coat that will dry in 60 seconds. Verdict? Insta-Dri polishes do dry up in 60 seconds or less! The colors I have (Flashy Fuchsia, Jumpin' Jade, and Night Flight) are very opaque so one coat is enough to get a solid shade. The product received a very high rating at my fave review forum, Makeupalley.

The super vivacious Patty Laurel hosted the event

To launch the new product, the brand has teamed up with celebrity designer Tina Daniac. The young woman came in aggressive, chic black broken by a zebra print tulip skirt. Daniac showcased her designs along with the latest Sally Hansen nail polish line.

I have always believed that Filipinas are some of the most beautiful women in the world. We hate the color of our skin, the curl of our hair, the challenges we have to face right here in the Third World - but I believe that these things make us strong and beautiful. But come, I'm biased. 

Nationalism is a hot commodity right now because of the elections. We have t-shirts from Collezione, Bench, and now, a huge fashion show from Ayala Malls. Filipina, Bravo! is an exhibit  that seeks to pay homage to Filipina icons by interpreting them with contemporary fashion.

Participating designers include the legendary and timeless Patis Tesoro and Criselda Lontok; the unquestionable queen of knits Lulu Tan Gan; the famed femme favorite Patrice Ramos-Diaz; silk heiress Katrina Goulbourn; Bonne Bouche’s Michi Calica, Elena Bautista and Emi Jorge; contemporary and fashion forward designers Tippi Ocampo, Kate Torralba and Hindy Weber-Tantoco; easy fashion for the working woman from Yvette and Choc Religioso and Arlene Sipat; award-winning Mich Dulce for Myth; supermodel-turned-designer Tweety de Leon for Myth; acclaimed bag designer and SoFa founder Amina Aranaz; exquisite accessories designer Ana Rocha; and pearl excellence from Jewelmer. via The Daily Tribune

It's a grand showcase of the hottest colors and cuts this season. There's a lot of whites, nudes, and blacks mixed with shocking pops of color in blue, purple, and red. The designers have a preference for loose-fitting, flowy dresses as well as body-hugging empire cut cocktail numbers and high-waisted body cons. Of course, the traditional baro't saya was featured.

A ton of pictures after the cut! 

I am a fan of clothes with a healthy dose of romance. Nudes, whites, pinks, and beiges are some of my favorite colors to wear this season too! That's why I am floored by Johnson's Body Care and Bayo's collaboration called the Soft Look Collection. The well-designed pieces are done in delicate lace, chiffon, and satin, shamelessly featuring a lot of ruffles and runching. The whole collection's main focus was showing off one of our best assets this summer - beautiful skin.

I love, love, love the Soft Look Collection. It is so me! Anyway, I took photos of the complete line for your viewing pleasure. Tell me what you think! Check out last year's Johnson's Body Care launch too, and compare.

The gorgeous, skinny, and elegant Sarah Meier was host for the night. I love her blue eyeshadow and nude lips. Her makeup was immaculate.

Class and simplicity 

Kate Torralba is best known for her bright and quirky designs that cater to those with young, adventurous hearts. For this summer she has created a daring but still wearable collection called Tightly Knit. I say daring because the collection has her trademark bright colors while also showing a lot of flesh and wearable because I can see Pinays, however conservative, wearing the pieces on the beach. I know I would!

Fit and lean. KT was inspired to do the collection when she did one of the pieces that's part of the grand prize in the Nestle Fitnesse Challenge contest last year. “I was inspired by a project with Nestle Fitnesse earlier this year, wherein a coat dress I made was given as a prize to one of the winners of the weight-loss challenge. It made me think about getting fit for the summer and showing off a great body,” she shares with Style Bible.

Close-up of the pretty knit fabric

I love the embellishments on the straps and neckline. Kate used large, colorful stones. Perfect for the beach!

This is my favorite outfit in the collection. It proves that you don't have to wear skimpy bikinis to look sexy.

Last Tuesday Asus launched its latest netbook incarnation - the Eee PC™ Seashell Karim Rashid Collection (1008P). It's pink, it's small, it's stylish! After that one can't really say a lot. It's got the usual specs that an average netbook has except that the latest Eee PC packs a lot of spunk in terms of design. It promises six hours of battery life, too. (Read after the cut to see the complete specs)

Karim Rashid, a world-renowned industrial designer was tapped to create the newest look of the Eee PC. The design is the realization of his vision of computing—one that is more sensual, more human, more hip. The hot pink laptop is targeted towards the younger, more mobile market. If you're not the sort who wants to get caught in tacky hot pink, never fear! There's a coffee brown version for guys and older women.

Dreamy light show and ambiance courtesy of Icon in Hotel Intercontinental

The most interesting thing during the launch was the fashion show parading R.A.F. Plains & Prints's Summer 2010 Collection. I loved most of the oufits featured! The Karim Rashid Eee PC is such a great accessory to the clothes, don't you think?